Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-23

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have a bicycle that you are no longer using. You would like to sell it to a friend.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• explain why you are no longer using your bicycle.
• describe your bicycle.
• explain why you think your friend would like to have it.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Navi,

i hope you are doing well. its been long that we haven't seen each other. I'm thinking you selling my bicycle that would interest you a lot.

I've purchased this bicycle two years ago when i used to go university. It was very convenient for me to ride bicycle on busy roads. Now my course has ended and I've decided to sell it. It's Hero model with big wheels specifically designed for long trips. I paid extra for the color which is dark blue.

The reason why i think it's perfect for you and you would love it, is because doctor has recommended you to loose some weight. I think ride bicycle daily can help you a lot for it. I'll be sending you other details regarding warranty and original price soon. I'm thinking of selling this for $ 250 but for you i'll reduce it to $200.

I'll wait for your response and will meet soon.

your loving friend

Harry

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining why you are no longer using the bike, describing it, and suggesting why your friend would like it. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the description of the bicycle is quite brief, and the explanation regarding the friend's weight loss could be phrased more sensitively or elaborated upon to sound more natural. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader understands the context and the offer being made.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the opening to the explanation, description, and finally the offer. Paragraphing is used, though the structure could be improved by separating the description of the bike from the reasons for selling it. Cohesive devices are present but somewhat mechanical (e.g., 'The reason why... is because'). Some transitions between sentences are slightly abrupt, such as the jump from the bike's features to the health advice. Improving the flow between these ideas would enhance the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message, such as 'convenient', 'specifically designed', and 'warranty'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'I'm thinking you selling my bicycle' is grammatically awkward and lexically imprecise. 'Loose some weight' is a common spelling error (should be 'lose'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and using more natural collocations would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally hinder the flow. Issues include missing articles ('go university' instead of 'go to university'), incorrect verb tenses ('I've purchased' instead of 'I purchased'), and punctuation errors (e.g., 'its' instead of 'it's'). The sentence 'I think ride bicycle daily can help you' is grammatically incorrect and should be 'I think riding a bicycle daily could help you'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they are frequent enough to impact the overall accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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